Review by Erica Marquez-Jacinto
Wayne McGregor's Autobiography, Photo credit Ravi Deepres. All photos courtesy of Company Wayne McGregor and Samsung Performing Arts Theater
Ayala Land's Circuit Makati is focused on shaping its future as a cultural hub. Its goal is to be recognized not just for its venues, but its commitment to educating, inspiring, and engaging audiences. They aim to be a catalyst for community growth, producing high-caliber events that are often inaccessible to the arts community, such as this edition of the International Dance Day Festival. This five-day festival, featuring a variety of dance genres, is a significant gift to the dance community, celebrating the art form in solidarity with global celebrations. But this year, I believe, they really hit the target. Opening night was a sterling example that Makati is a key player in the arts. Their creative choices clearly show that they have an exceptional grasp of what the community needs and how to propel them to greatness.
Even before the main event began, there was a palpable sense that this festival would be different. Showing unadulterated tenacity, dancers in suits disrupted the mundane conversations in the lobby with their exploratory movement on the escalators, responding to the flow of passersby. They gathered a small crowd, drawing attention to the evening's purpose: to celebrate dance. This performance heightened the anticipation within the dance community for the evening's highlight, Company Wayne McGregor's "Autobiography V105."
Wayne McGregor is a knighted artist in the UK who gained prominence in Europe through his mastery across various platforms, including theatre, film, commercials, and diverse dance genres. Fun fact: he contributed to the famous Harry Potter films. However, it is his acclaimed works as resident choreographer for the Royal Ballet and collaborations with the American Ballet Theatre and Bolshoi Ballet that firmly established him as a forward-thinking creative in dance. The New York Times has characterized him as "an adventuresome experimenter with a restless mind, intent on pushing his disparate audience, his collaborators, and himself." Unfortunately, his brilliance has not been widely showcased in Asia, except for his recent work "Deepstaria," which was presented in Hong Kong. Therefore, it is a significant milestone for his work to reach Filipino audiences, offering a rare opportunity to experience such high-caliber performances.
Autobiography V105: Life Without Sequence
"Autobiography" is a profound exploration of McGregor's artistry, encompassing the key elements that have led to his success as a celebrated choreographer. It was the perfect choice to open the celebratory festival because it showed how powerful dance could be. It was substance on a platter, combining science of the past, science of the present, art, and humanity. The theme of Autobiography reflects the essence of human nature, encompassing its highs and lows—capturing the emotions that flow through our lives: pain, joy, and everything in between. A common theme in dance; however, the process of performance is what makes the difference. It is performed differently each time. This piece premiered in 2017, a time when people were focused on deciphering algorithms and big ideas. Dance sketches based on McGregor's genetic code were created, 23 sections, each one tied to a chromosome. For every performance, the algorithm would dictate which dances would be performed and in what sequence, akin to a roulette of combinations where the dancer's fate depended on chance. Only the beginning and the end remained constant. In its 2025 version, the influence of AI also shapes what is performed on stage, making it an updated scientific yet artistic endeavor. The concept is significant and almost philosophical, reminding us that life is indeed abstract and has no sequence. The impact of the performance was even greater.
Wayne McGregor's Autobiography, Photo credit Ravi Deepres
The audience was silenced as the curtains rose to a blank stage without wings. A solitary dancer moved, creating ripples with his body. Watching him almost felt like I was navigating his thoughts with him. Devoid of pretentious clichés that tend to be found in contemporary dance, he displayed pristine technique and control. As the company's eight other members introduced themselves in their sections, this would remain true. They were all fully immersed in the movement with confident strides, sustained balances, and most importantly, beautiful lines. It says a lot about the company's discipline in staging an abstract show. Confidence in technique allows the dancer to be present in the moment, fully engaged with the physical and emotional task. Company Wayne McGregor was indeed a class act.
The performance featured several vignettes, each with emotional resonance. The physicality of the pieces was hyper-articulate, necessitating a strong command of the combinations, as the transitions were wonderfully frenetic. There was no storyline, but you could see melancholic textures and a semblance of pivotal relationships in the pas de deux. While titled Autobiography, the performance felt less like McGregor’s alone and more like a collective diary of human experience. It carved out thoughts in my mind about my own existence—a disruption that, I believe, only true art can provoke. Did I doze off during some sections? Yes. But Autobiography’s beauty lies in its ability to draw you back in, again and again, with unexpected moments of brilliance.
Building Worlds from Light and Shadow
Beyond the engaging choreography was McGregor’s hand in transforming blank spaces. He is an architect of sorts, creating environments for the dancers to exist, stories to flourish, and emotions to intensify.Working with lighting designer Lucy Carter, they built entire worlds using nothing but light. They used light to create the illusion of the ceiling caving in toward the dancers. At times, beams of light and projections created the illusion of ceilings and planes; they split the stage into separate rooms, putting focus on different narratives all at the same time. While I have seen this technique employed by other creatives, the light show is fully choreographed, almost embracing the dancers at all times. At times, they manufactured an effect where darkness seemed to swallow the dancer until they disappeared completely, achieving a strikingly cinematic result. Another memorable segment involved bright flashes of light that blinded the audience, evoking small epiphanies—those life-changing moments that leave you feeling nauseous or dizzy, reminiscent of cinematic car crash flashbacks. It was simple yet genius in its execution.
Wayne McGregor's Autobiography, Company Wayne McGregor, Lublin Dance Theater, Poland (2019) Photo credit Maciej Rukasz
I reckon that this abstract piece is an acquired taste. Not everyone will love it. So I applaud Ayala Land's Circuit Makati for choosing a piece this intricate for the local audiences. It’s about time that people are served something as intricate and intellectually stimulating as this.Even in its minimalist version (earlier iterations included physical sets as part of the choreography), Autobiography V105 remains a conversation piece—one that leaves lasting ripples in the mind.
As Chris Mohnani said in his opening speech, "Dance connects us all, transcending boundaries and uniting us through shared expression." The vibrant post-show discussions proved his words true. People are still talking, still debating, still feeling. And that, truly, is the mark of art well served.
